


But what if it was simple? And what if it made sense?

by DetectiveOfTheEast, MagicKaitō1412 (naosuki)



Series: Impetuous Souls [2]
Category: Magic Kaito, 名探偵コナン | Detective Conan | Case Closed
Genre: Coffee Shops, Falling In Love, Fluff, Idiots in Love, M/M, Post-Conan Kudou Shinichi, Pre-Relationship, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-11
Updated: 2019-10-11
Packaged: 2020-12-09 11:17:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,094
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20993930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DetectiveOfTheEast/pseuds/DetectiveOfTheEast, https://archiveofourown.org/users/naosuki/pseuds/MagicKait%C5%8D1412
Summary: “Always hiding behind your carefree façade. Not that I expected you to behave differently, of course. Beneath a charming smile, there's something disconcerting, waiting to be uncovered.”There’s a fondness in his expression that he saves for those he cares most about - Ran, Heiji, Agasa, Miyano or Ai. . . and Kaito. But never Kaitō. At least, Kaito doesn’t remember seeing this expression on Kudō as Kid, which is fine, really. Even if it does sting, since he’s the same person, and no one seems to care for both parts of him equally.Kaito just grins. Perfect. His detective gave him something to work with. “Does that mean you think my smile is charming, Tantei-kun?”





	But what if it was simple? And what if it made sense?

**Author's Note:**

  * For [DetectiveOfTheEast](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DetectiveOfTheEast/gifts).

> I'm gifting this to my Detective of the East, who, frankly spoken, participated in the creation of this.
> 
> The Title is a reference to the Nothing But Thieves song "Reset Me".

> _ ❝By looking at what’s blocking our way with an open mind, a wall can be turned into a wide-open door.❞ _

Kaito had heard those words before, but never really had the chance to think about it when he wasn’t Kaitō. So when he sees Shinichi scribble these words in a notebook, he decides to jump him, startle him a little in the process. They’d been friends for a while, with his little detective still being blissfully unaware of his alter ego - and since only Kaitō knew that Shinichi was Conan, Kaito had to pretend to be blissfully unaware as well.

“A wide open door, huh?” He sing-songs, leaning closer to Kudō.

“What about it, Kuroba-kun?” A hesitant reply from his favourite detective. He’s wary of Kaito’s shenanigans - smart guy, he is.

“Oh nothing, nothing at all~ Just thought it was interesting. . . how simple a wall can be turned into a door just by looking at it from the right angle~” He can’t help but laugh.

Shinichi is used to this by now. His friend likes to prod and prod and prod. And if he doesn’t prod, he makes you reconsider. Not necessarily in an attempt to change your mind, but rather to question your beliefs, even if he shares them. Kuroba has just settled into questioning things, and thus those who he considers close to him or his equal just had to settle into this as well.

“Always hiding behind your carefree façade. Not that I expected you to behave differently, of course. Beneath a charming smile, there's something disconcerting, waiting to be uncovered.”

Kudō closes his book, puts it away. There’s a fondness in his expression that he saves for those he cares most about - Ran, Heiji, Agasa, Miyano or Ai. . . and Kaito. But never Kaitō. At least, Kaito doesn’t remember seeing this expression on Kudō as Kid, which is fine, really. Even if it does sting, since he’s the same person, and no one seems to care for both parts of him equally.

Well, that might not be completely right. Hakuba, that bastard, certainly seems to care in his own special way for both, Kaito and Kid, but that’s likely only because he himself wants to be the one to catch him, not letting Kudō or anyone else get in his way. And Akako, well, it depends on the day. Either she wants to kiss him or kill him, but it has to be her. The killing thing - Kaito doesn’t really want to think about the implications of her potentially desiring to be the only one to ever kiss him.

Kaito just grins. Perfect. His detective gave him something to work with. “Does that mean you think my smile is charming, Tantei-kun?”

Kudō’s ears flush a slight red, though his face looks inconvenienced. “You- I never said that!” A pause. “I didn't mean it like that, at the very least. Don't play games, I'm immune to your magic tricks.”

Kaito just moves in closer, his face incredibly close to Shinichi's. “Is that so?” He draws the words out, clearly not believing the other.

Then, with one swift movement, he pulls out a rose from behind the other's ear and holds it towards him, just barely bringing some distance between them again. Shinichi immediately presses a flat palm against Kuroba's cheek and pushes him away a little further, not wanting his personal space to be invaded that much.

“I'm allergic to roses.”

Shinichi’s expression still displays an, otherwise well-hidden, hint of denseness to Kaito's romantic advances, although he also seems a bit smug about his false statement. Naturally, it makes the magician whine dramatically. Not because he didn’t expect this reaction - he was certain it would occur and acted upon his whim either way - but just for show, to get Shinichi to react, perhaps, or at least listen.

“I call bullshit, Kudō-kun. I've seen you gift roses to Ran-chan before. You're not fooling me~”

And thus, he places the rose in Shinichi's pocket, patting it twice with another grin and watching his friend involuntarily blush, a slight shade of red playing around his cheeks.

“It was her birthday and I didn't know what kind of gift she would prefer!”

Looking in any other possible direction but Kaito's, Shinichi stealthily side-eyes the rose in his shirt pocket. If Kaito noticed the glance, he doesn't mention it. Instead, he blows against Kudō’s ear before finally moving out of his personal space.

“Nothing wrong with that, detective. For the record, though, anything chocolate-y is fair game with me~”

Kaito was good at being sneaky, but sometimes, the universe just required him to be blunt. In this case, he was both. On one hand, he was directly informing his friend that he liked chocolate, which would certainly come in handy if Kaito himself had his birthday eventually and Shinichi struggled with a present. But on the other hand it allowed him to tell the other boy sneakily that he wanted chocolate from him, or perhaps even Valentines or White Day chocolate. Shinichi meanwhile keeps his hands in his pockets, trying to appear as nonchalant and composed as ever.

“Yeah, you're right. There _ is _nothing wrong with that. It's just that I am wondering how you could possibly know about this.”

“Great Detective, you're not the only one known for having a keen mind and being very observant.” The magician winks at him. “I just happened to notice it, and since I noticed, of course I also remembered. Simple as that.” He shrugs casually, not really bothered by the other’s suspicions. Sue him for paying attention to details - it’s not something he can help, especially not if it involves pretty ladies and pretty gents. Not that this one particular gent knows about that part.

Shinichi just squints at him. “Is it really that simple though, Kuroba-kun?”

He pretends the wink never happened, because he wouldn't know how to deal with that in particular. Partly because Kaito is just _ charming _, and charming people are dangerous in a different kind of way than your average murderer.

“I think I know what you might be on about. Would you care for a cup of coffee? Or tea? My treat.”

He really, really doesn’t. At least, not really, and not yet. But neither does Kaito. They’re dancing a little dance around each other, not quite certain which steps to take and what their moves are called. Kaito pauses, pondering about Kudō’s invitation. Romantic? Platonic? Are they moving towards being better friends, or perhaps towards something else? He brushes the thought aside, not really believing it to be a possibility.

“Depends. Where do you plan on taking me out to, Kudō?” Kuroba pauses, then: “Why, don't _ you _remember when someone gives others gifts? Especially when they're well-loved and well-known people around you? It's a pretty useful piece of information to keep in mind, just saying.”

“I am not interested in Ran anymore, if that is what you are implying. We are still close friends. Anyhow, I don't really have time for romance.”

Shinichi misses how Kaito was trying to figure out if the detective also kept a close eye on the relations of other people, but as it turns out, his response is enough for Kaito to understand: He doesn’t have the general eye for it, only noticing it when someone’s being murdered. Unlike Kuroba, Kudō simply isn’t a people person, even if he does enjoy being in the spotlight from time to time. But while Kuroba wasn’t implying that whatsoever, it didn’t mean that he knew the detective was no longer in love with her. Strange how things change when you’re stuck in the body of a child for a while. Shinichi then proceeds to point down the street.

“It's just a simple coffee lounge, not far from here. I thought it would be a good idea, or rather, it would be better than standing in the stinging cold.”

A part of him knows he might be too forward, but Kaito can’t stop himself from asking either way. “Did she break your heart or did you break hers?” A pause. He can't let Shinichi know that he knows his secret, can’t say too much or else he makes the clever man suspicious. “In all honesty, I assumed you were meant for each other, so this is quite the shock, Kudō-kun. That aside. . . I suppose I could be persuaded to have some tea with you. And chocolate pudding~”

The lively glimmer that usually resides in Shinichi’s eyes vanishes for a split moment. He doesn't look at anything specific, his gaze becoming focused on something that's beyond time and space.

“I- I guess you could say she. . . she broke my heart. But I cannot possibly blame her.” He quickly tries to brush the subject aside. “Chocolate pudding sounds great.”

Kaito noticed. Even if Shinichi had tried to hide it from him, he noticed. He really wanted to punch himself for that remark, but that would most likely come across as somewhat crazy. And really, given all his shenanigans and flirtations, Shinichi must consider him to be pretty crazy already, so best not to tempt his luck on that one. 

“I- am sorry for bringing that up. I shouldn't have.” Immediately, he pulls the other into a hug. But before it can come across as strange - they weren't that close yet - he covers it up with a little magical trick, supposed to make Shinichi smile again. “It's a date, then.”

The detective is flabbergasted, mostly due to his short outburst of emotion, even though it only barely scratched the surface. He just isn't used to showing his vulnerable side to people. On the other hand, there's the word "date" echoing in his head over and over again, which is ever so distracting.

“You didn't do anything wrong.” He takes a few steps forward, then nods in the direction they have to go. “Are you coming, Great Magician?”

Kaito would be lying if he said he didn’t enjoy being called a great magician by the great detective. He also wouldn’t be Kaito if he didn’t take that comment to heart and jog ahead of the other, turning around with a grin and calling: “Hey, I'm way ahead of you, Tantei-kun. Hurry up, we've got chocolate pudding waiting for us. And tea. Your treat, right~?”

He sticks out his tongue. A part of him wants to test just how far he can take this - would Shinichi actually pay for anything he wants? - but the other knows just as well that this might actually anger his friend, so he's uncertain. Shinichi on the other hand tries to catch up for a moment while looking at Kaito directly.

“I meant it when I said it's my treat. You can choose whatever you want - eat all the chocolate pudding your heart desires. It's fine.”

Just as they arrive at the destined location, Shinichi grabs Kaito's hand to pull him into the coffee shop. “I sure hope your wallet agrees with you on this,” Kaito says.

Logically, he knows that Kudō has at least as much money as he himself has, but that doesn't mean there isn't a slight pang of worry. Then, he looks at their hands and just barely keeps his poker face.

“But thanks for the meal, Great Detective. I'll make sure to put your generosity to good use~”

Shinichi erupts in a short-lived bout of laughter and adds, “don't worry, I wouldn't offer you something as tempting as this if I weren't serious. I usually don't spend money on myself like this, so it's a welcome change. Let me do the talking.” He winks playfully at Kaito, right before facing the nice lady at the counter. Swiftly, he shoots a glance at the menu and orders creamy chocolate pudding and some sweet tea for Kaito, and pancakes with strawberry syrup and a warm beverage for himself.

“You say you wouldn't offer it if you weren't serious, and yet you do the talking. I see how it is, Kudō-kun~” Kaito responds in a playful sing-song tone - but he also totally means it.

Kudō doesn’t really react to it, just begins making small talk whilst they walk towards a table that’s by a big window, casually mentioning that he doesn’t usually have a sweet tooth.

“So you're getting something sweet just because I'm so sweet, right?” Kaito immediately responds, having seen his opportunity, and winks at the slightly older teen. When their food arrives, he quickly snatches a bite from Kudō’s plate before the other even has time to react.

Shinichi side-eyes him with a content smile as Kaito swipes a bite of his food. On any other day, he might have been irritated by such a childish deed. Not today, though. “You seem like you are enjoying yourself, Kuroba-kun~” Shinichi puts his chin in his hand and tilts his head, “you know. . . I’m glad I met you today,” he says, then sips on his coffee.

The secret phantom thief twirls his fork between his fingers and grins, enjoying the taste of Kudō’s pancakes. Should he tell him that he loves strawberries as well? Eh, maybe another day. “You're treating me to food, of course I'm enjoying myself~ Usually _ I _ have to pay.” He coughs then, not having expected to hear the detective sort-of thank him for spending time with him. “I literally came here to tease you and now you're practically thanking me- are you okay?”

Shinichi nods and then keeps completely still for a few seconds, thinking the other’s words over again. “You've been on a lot of dates? I mean, a charmer like you. . . I just thought-”

He considers his own words for a moment, seemingly uncomfortable with what he just assumed. He puts his hand in the nape of his neck, which he often does when he's unsure or embarrassed.

Kaito blinks. And blinks again. _ Was this a date _? He wasn't sure, truth be told, as he said it as a joke. And Kudō didn't seem all that interested in actually dating someone already. . . so he decided it wasn't, just to be safe.

“About that. . . I've never actually been on a proper _ date _before. Don't get me wrong, it's not like I was never interested, or even never got asked, I just. . . never went?” A pause. “Unless you count paying for Aoko's food, I suppose. But she's my childhood friend, so.”

“That is actually quite surprising. I was under the impression that a charismatic guy like you has made experiences in that department.” He really did. Sure, he was slightly older than Kaito, but he’s known to be a bit dense when it concerns romance, and even he has made some experience. Granted, he soon afterwards turned into a child, but still. The detective decides to take another sip of his coffee, looking out of the window.

“Were you joking? About the ‘this is a date’ part, I mean?” He coughs slightly, which is neither a sign that he choked on his coffee, nor does it mean that he's flustered. He's being cautious, Shinichi tells himself.

As he listens to Shinichi, the magician takes a bite of his pudding, pointing an accusatory fork in Shinichi's direction. “And yet it's you, Tantei-kun, who has more experience. Interesting, isn't it?” This time, Ran is pointedly not being mentioned. Then, he falls silent, unsure how to answer. So, instead of answering Kudō’s question, he asks a nearby waitress for some konpeito, trying to avoid it entirely this way.

“I don't know if I am all that experienced in the matters of love. One could even say that, I may not be the type for less logic-oriented pursuits. At least that's what Ran thought. So. . .” Rather than delving deeper into the date-or-no-date interrogation, he laughs out loud, pushing the other one's fork down with his own. “Don't you go and point weapons at me, Kuroba-kun.”

Kaito shakes his head in bemusement. 

“Less logic-oriented pursuits? Not everything in life follows certain rules and logic. Besides, you're hanging out with me. I'm a _ magician _. And not all of my tricks will be things you're able to solve with pure logic. He swiftly pushes the other one's fork down with his own previously pushed down fork before he uses his finger (from his other hand) to steal some cream. “Thanks for the meal~” But instead of immediately sticking it in his mouth, he taps it on Kudō’s nose first, then licks the rest off his finger.

Shinichi looks somewhat dumbfounded for a moment there, but regains composure quickly. “Magician or not, even magic tricks succumb to the laws of logic.” The detective swipes his finger down his nose to rid himself of the cream and sucks it off.

“I'm sure I can find something even you can't explain, detective~” Kaito winks cheekily and sticks out his tongue as he watches the other clean his nose.

Cradling his cup of coffee in both hands now, the young detective notices something unusual as he diverts his attention from Kaito for a moment. There is some sort of post-it note on Kuroba's mug. He points it out to him in a hushed tone. “Seems like a cell phone number.”

“A number?” Kuroba grumbles as he picks it up, looking at the note that had a little heart and doodle on it. He then sighs and glances around, hoping to see the waitress that gave it to him. He doesn't. “I don't think I'm looking for that right now, though. . .” He mumbles it more to himself than to Kudō as he looks at the number still, then folds it and puts it away. Truth be told, he could hardly imagine dating someone while running around as Kaitō Kid. He wanted to, once, with Aoko. But there was no way for that to work out, and he figured it was for the best. “Well. Now I'm only waiting for us to get invited to a mixer, really.”

“Aren't you excited? I guess that's how people would normally react. Are you- keeping it?” Kudō looks slightly displeased. He decides to be playful instead, dragging his friend out of the coffee shop after he paid the woman behind the counter. “Honestly? I don’t think now’s the right time to give me- hey!!” The detective isn't really that smooth when he grabs the piece of paper right out of Kuroba's pocket. “You won't need _ that _where we're going.” Despite his complaint, he let Shinichi take the paper, not even attempting to keep it.

“Oh? Where are we going then, Tantei-kun~?”


End file.
